1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to horn loudspeakers, and in particular, to a system of vertically offset horn loudspeakers with a common throat section and cross-fired aiming angles.
2. Background of the Related Art
Horn loudspeakers are used for sound reinforcement, public address, paging, announcement, warning systems and the like. Typical venues include stadiums, arenas, parks, beaches, schools, public buildings, factories, distribution centers, shopping malls, hotels, airports, and mass transit areas.
In many situations it is desirable to provide wide horizontal polar response, substantially constant with frequency, to cover a broad target such as seating areas within a stadium. Similarly, it is desirable to provide narrow vertical polar response, substantially constant with frequency, to focus the sound energy into the audience area. Also, in certain highly reverberant venues such as cathedrals and train stations, narrow vertical polar response can mitigate or reduce undesirable sound reflections off hard floors and ceilings, thereby improving the sound quality.
One typical horn loudspeaker, as known in the art, utilizes a pair of horn elements horizontally positioned next to each other. This conventional side-by-side horn loudspeaker produces narrow horizontal polar response and wide vertical polar response, particularly at low and mid frequencies. Moreover, the polar response of the side-by-side horn loudspeaker can exhibit interference patterns. The interference can be particularly severe in the horizontal direction and at mid and high frequencies.
The invention relates to a horn loudspeaker system. The horn loudspeaker system includes a pair of vertically displaced horns with cross-fired aiming angles. A common throat section couples the horns to a driver. A substantially asymmetrical baffling is incorporated into the horn loudspeaker system to further improve the acoustic performance. In one embodiment, the baffling is integrally formed with the sound expansion chambers of the horns to provide an integral unit.
The invention demonstrates certain advantages and benefits over conventional horn systems. One advantage of the novel cross-fired horn loudspeaker system is that it provides improved polar response. The horizontal polar response is desirably wide, substantially smooth, substantially symmetric, and substantially constant with frequency. The wide horizontal polar response covers broad target areas. Additionally, the vertical polar response is desirably narrow, substantially constant with frequency and results in increased gain, or energy focusing, and reduced undesirable reflections.
The utilization of a single driver in certain embodiments saves on costs. The drivers are typically one of the more expensive components of a horn system. The drivers are also heavy, and the use of a single driver lowers the system weight. This desirably reduces the structural requirements of the mounting system resulting in cost savings.
Other advantages are provided in certain embodiments by the integral construction of the cross-fired horn elements and the baffling. The integral construction further aids in ease of installation, improves aiming accuracy, and saves installation time, as opposed to mounting and orienting multiple horn and driver components. The timesavings desirably translate into additional cost savings.
The ease of system installation also addresses safety issues. In many cases, loudspeaker systems have to be mounted on poles, roofs, ceilings, and the like. The invention, by providing a low system weight and an integral horn-baffling unit reduces the chances of accidents during installation and in subsequent use.
The flexibility in the selection of the throat configuration adds to the versatility and utility of the invention. The throats of the cross-fired horn loudspeaker can be optimized for a particular application to achieve certain benefits and advantages. For example, the throats can be configured to provide a generally compact design, an extended high frequency response, and an extended low frequency response, among others, as required or desired.
The horn mouth sizes and shapes, the number of horn elements, the horn element coverage, and the horn element aiming can be selected, as required or desired, for a particular application. This flexibility in choice further adds to the versatility and utility of the invention.
For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages and novel features of the invention have been described herein above. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
These and other embodiments of the present invention will also become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular embodiment(s) disclosed.